The tasks in this feature are designed to encourage learners to make, and justify, decisions about the method they use to solve a calculation. If we give pupils opportunities to choose a method that is well suited to a particular calculation, they will become curious, adventurous mathematicians, and are more likely to be accurate compared with following a procedure without reflecting first.
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Let's Get Flexible!
In this article for primary teachers, Ems outlines how we can encourage learners to be flexible in their approach to calculation, and why this is crucial.
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Favourite
Subtraction Slip
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Can you spot the mistake in this video? How would you work out the answer to this calculation?
problem
Favourite
Arranging Additions and Sorting Subtractions
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Order these four calculations from easiest to hardest. How did you decide?
problem
Favourite
Fruity Pairs
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Which two items of fruit could Kate and Sam choose? Can you order the prices from lowest to highest?
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Favourite
Picture Your Method
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Can you match these calculation methods to their visual representations?
problem
Favourite
Compare the Calculations
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Can you put these four calculations into order of difficulty? How did you decide?
problem
Favourite
Method in multiplying madness?
Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
Watch our videos of multiplication methods that you may not have met before. Can you make sense of them?
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Number Fluency
This feature brings together tasks which help to develop learners' fluency in the context of number and calculation.
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Flexible approaches to problem solving
Age
11 to 18
Challenge level
The problems in this feature challenge students to explore different ways of arriving at a solution.